Aaron Collins
Appearances
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
I am here. And I have to be honest, I don't have anything really new to add to the conversation on where we've been. I think everybody has really wrapped up what we've done really well. I think for me, I'm more forward thinking on where I think health chatter is going. And I think We have a lot of tough topics that we still haven't talked about and dove into.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
I think one where we've struggled with is cannabis and THC legalization and policymaking. And I'm really excited to try and get something going with that topic. I'm really looking to try and do another top episode on harm reduction. and harm reduction in our community in Minneapolis, which is really struggling with opioid addiction.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
And then I think the episode we did on politics was so timely, and I think that we probably could squeeze another one in in November, and that would be something that people would be really interested in listening to, especially as we get closer to everybody getting to place their ballot. They want to know the candidates' opinions on public health issues, and I think that could be a really
Health Chatter
Access to Health Care
Well, I have something to add on to it. The question you asked about why we do open enrollment every year really stuck with me. And Dr. Blewett, your explanation of why it happens every year was fabulous. And I thought that I could give a little insight as to why it's important. I used to be a overall very healthy person. And so a high deductible health plan is
Health Chatter
Access to Health Care
was an easy choice because I'm not spending thousands of dollars on my health care a year until your health changes overnight and you now have type 1 diabetes and have to spend thousands of dollars on prescriptions. You don't want to have that high deductible health plan anymore.
Health Chatter
Access to Health Care
And so I enjoyed open enrollment in 2018 when I was able to switch my health plan from a high deductible to a lower deductible. because I wasn't going to want to spend five grand out of pocket every year. And now I spend only two grand out of pocket every year. So open enrollment is also great because you don't know how your health is going to change on the flip of a coin.
Health Chatter
Access to Health Care
And that's what happened to me. And that's why open enrollment is good.
Health Chatter
Spirituality
That's a good question because right now, at the moment, I don't consider myself a very spiritual or religious person at all. I grew up in a Catholic household and I think a lot of people my age get to be 24 after going to CCD every week and living in a Catholic house and family for so long and kind of move away from religion and spirituality because of
Health Chatter
Spirituality
I think the best way to put it is pressures from the church. So my sense of spirituality is more how I am in touch with myself and the people around me. And so I kind of define it as community and in church and spirituality, people have community and my community is not in a church or a synagogue, but they're close knit.
Health Chatter
Spirituality
groups of friends, or I have a very, very close community at the lifetime that I work out at. And I work at, um, people that I didn't know two years ago, and now we go get happy hour drinks, or, um, I have a couple of women who are very, very close. And, you know, the only time that we chat or talk is when we're at the gym, but I still consider them very close friends.
Health Chatter
Spirituality
So my reflection on spirituality and religion might look a little bit different because of that, but I think it's still kind of a similar theme that what we've been talking about for the last 30, 40 minutes.
Health Chatter
Spirituality
I think so. When you get to that point in fitness where you're doing marathons or racing, it takes a lot of mental strength and toughness within yourself to complete those things. And I think that's the same thing that I said about the definition of spirituality is being in touch with yourself. So yeah, running a marathon, you better be pretty in touch with yourself to finish that.
Health Chatter
Spirituality
Cause that's going to take a whole lot of strength on the inside of you more than it is physical to be able to complete that. So I think you're absolutely right with, with that theme. That is definitely a spiritual experience to do that kind of stuff.
Health Chatter
Spirituality
I couldn't have said it better myself. I was going to leave with something about community and connecting with others and especially coming into the holiday season for lots of different religions and spiritualities. Just a friendly reminder to find those close to you and lean on them for the next couple months.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
I am there. I guess I'm like a little bit disheartened from our chat on politics and health because I don't feel like there should be any sides. And like we talk about that there's one side versus the other side. I feel like this is one topic that shouldn't be a place where people are taking sides. It should be a place where people are agreeing that I want to be healthy.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
I want my family to be healthy and I want my community to be healthy. And it's just really disheartening to sit here and talk about how politics has such a massive influence on our health and wellbeing. And there's people out there that would rather spend less money on keeping the communities healthy in it.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
So I guess, unfortunately, I feel like this is a very grim episode this week that this is what we're faced with at the moment. And it makes me a little nervous for the election coming up, I guess.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
I really liked the conversation that you guys had about expectations. And when I think about what I want government to do for me and the expectations I have for government for me and my family is keeping me safe. And one of those being healthcare. And there are some instances in which I do not feel safe With healthcare, I'm type 1 diabetic, and it's extremely expensive.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
During a job transition, which I'm going through at the moment, I don't necessarily feel safe. I'm worried about... you know, employee insurance, how that transition is going to look. And in my mind, it's the government's job to keep me safe, not my employers.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
And so I think when I'm talking about voting for a new elected official, I want somebody in office who's going to advocate for my communities to be safe. And that includes health care.